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Step 1Open the server Apps tab
Select the tutorial-vps VPS, open the Apps tab, and start a new app deployment. Keep sensitive server details hidden before capturing or sharing screenshots.
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Mailu
Infrastructure2048MB+ RAM
Full-featured mail server with webmail
emailmail-serverwebmail
Deploy Mailu in 3 Steps
1
Connect Your VPS
Add your server credentials to Server Compass
2
Select Mailu
Choose from our template library
3
Deploy & Configure
Fill in settings and click Deploy
No Docker knowledge required
Step-by-step deployment guide
Deploy Mailu on a VPS with Server Compass
Use the Mailu template in Server Compass to deploy the Mailu admin UI, webmail, SMTP, IMAP, antispam, Redis, and Unbound resolver stack on a VPS.
About 8 minutesBrowser verified
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Step 2Choose an app template
Click New App and choose the template deployment path so Server Compass can load the built-in catalog.
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Step 3Search for Mailu
Use the template picker search to find Mailu in the Server Compass template catalog.
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Step 4Select the Mailu template
Choose the Mailu template. Server Compass fills the generated Mailu stack, high tutorial ports, persistent volumes, and Unbound resolver settings.
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Step 5Review the Mailu settings
Confirm the app name and service settings. In this run, the app was named mailu-demo; the admin UI was exposed on host port 4808.
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Step 6Deploy Mailu
Review the generated compose settings, confirm the Mailu service set and high tutorial ports, then click Deploy.
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Step 7Watch the deployment progress
Keep the deployment modal open while Server Compass uploads the compose file, pulls the Mailu images, starts the containers, and verifies the stack.
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Step 8Confirm Mailu is running
After deployment finishes, return to the Apps tab and confirm the Mailu app is marked Running.
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Step 9Open the Mailu admin UI
Open the public admin URL and confirm Mailu loads. For a real mail server, create the primary admin user and configure DNS before using the instance.
After Mailu Opens
- Create the primary administrator with `docker compose exec admin flask mailu admin POSTMASTER DOMAIN PASSWORD`.
- Configure MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and reverse DNS before using the server for real mail.
- Switch `TLS_FLAVOR` from `notls` to `cert` or `letsencrypt` before production use.
- Restrict admin access with firewall rules or a trusted reverse proxy before exposing it broadly.
Verified Result
The Mailu admin interface loaded successfully in Chromium at http://91.99.15.247:4808/admin/.
Mailu deployment questions
What does the Mailu template deploy?
It deploys the Mailu 2024.06 stack with nginx/front, admin, Dovecot, Postfix, Rspamd, SnappyMail webmail, Redis, and Unbound DNS resolver services.
Which port did the tutorial use?
The tutorial used host port 4808, mapped to the Mailu front service on container port 80.
Is the tutorial ready for real mail delivery?
No. The tutorial verifies that Mailu deploys and serves the admin UI. Real mail delivery still requires a real domain, DNS records, reverse DNS, TLS, and an initial admin user.
Should this become a blog post?
No. The deployment guide should live on the Mailu template detail page and be linked from the reusable template deployment docs page.
Do It Yourself
Deploy Mailu via Command Line
Prefer the command line? Follow this step-by-step guide to deploy Mailu manually on your VPS.
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Start a Secure Shell Session
Open your terminal and connect to your server. Replace the IP address with your VPS IP.
terminal
# SSH into your server
ssh root@your-server-ip
# Using a custom SSH key
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa root@your-server-ipFirst time? Need Docker? Install it: curl -fsSL https://get.docker.com | sh
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Prepare Your Workspace
Set up a clean directory for your application.
terminal
# Create and navigate to project directory
mkdir -p ~/apps/mailu
cd ~/apps/mailu3
Set Up Container Configuration
Set up the container stack using this Docker Compose configuration:
docker-compose.yml
services:
front:
image: ghcr.io/mailu/nginx:2024.06
ports:
- "80:80"
- "443:443"
- "25:25"
- "143:143"
- "587:587"
environment:
- TZ=UTC
volumes:
- mailu_certs:/certs
- mailu_overrides:/overrides
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
- admin
- imap
- smtp
admin:
image: ghcr.io/mailu/admin:2024.06
environment:
- SECRET_KEY=<your-secret-key>
- DOMAIN=<your-domain>
- HOSTNAMES=<your-hostnames>
- TZ=UTC
volumes:
- mailu_data:/data
- mailu_dkim:/dkim
restart: unless-stopped
depends_on:
- redis
imap:
image: ghcr.io/mailu/dovecot:2024.06
environment:
- TZ=UTC
volumes:
- mailu_mail:/mail
- mailu_overrides:/overrides
restart: unless-stopped
smtp:
image: ghcr.io/mailu/postfix:2024.06
environment:
- TZ=UTC
volumes:
- mailu_overrides:/overrides
restart: unless-stopped
redis:
image: redis:7-alpine
volumes:
- mailu_redis:/data
restart: unless-stopped
volumes:
mailu_certs:
mailu_overrides:
mailu_data:
mailu_dkim:
mailu_mail:
mailu_redis:
Configuration Variables
PORTHTTP port(default: 80)HTTPS_PORTHTTPS port(default: 443)SMTP_PORTSMTP port(default: 25)IMAP_PORTIMAP port(default: 143)SUBMISSION_PORTSubmission port(default: 587)DOMAINMail domain4
Bring Up the Application
Launch your application stack in the background.
terminal
# Start the containers in detached mode
docker compose up -d
# Check if containers are running
docker compose ps
# View logs
docker compose logs -f5
Configure Firewall
Configure your firewall to permit external connections.
terminal
# Allow the application port through firewall
sudo ufw allow 80/tcp
sudo ufw reload
# Access your app at:
# http://your-server-ip:80Skip the Terminal
Prefer a visual interface? Use Server Compass.
Deploy Mailu with a beautiful UI instead. No SSH, no YAML editing, no terminal commands. Just click, configure, and deploy in under 3 minutes.
- Visual configuration UI
- One-click deployment
- Automatic SSL setup
- Zero-downtime updates
- Built-in monitoring
- One-click rollbacks
Download Server Compass$29 one-time • Lifetime license
After Deployment
After deploying Mailu with Server Compass, complete these steps to finish setup
1
Configure DNS records
2
Create admin account
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Add mail domains
Need help? Check out our documentation for detailed guides.
Mailu FAQ
Common questions about self-hosting Mailu
How do I deploy Mailu with Server Compass?
Simply download Server Compass, connect to your VPS, and select Mailu from the templates list. Fill in the required configuration and click Deploy. The entire process takes under 3 minutes.
What are the system requirements for Mailu?
Mailu requires a minimum of 2048MB RAM. We recommend a VPS with at least 4096MB RAM for optimal performance. Any modern Linux server with Docker support will work.
Can I migrate my existing Mailu data?
Yes! Server Compass provides volume mapping that allows you to import existing data. You can also use standard Mailu backup and restore procedures.
How do I update Mailu to the latest version?
Server Compass makes updates easy. Simply click the Update button in your deployment dashboard, and the latest Mailu image will be pulled and deployed with zero downtime.
Is Mailu free to self-host?
Mailu is open-source software. You only pay for your VPS hosting (typically $5-20/month) and optionally Server Compass ($29 one-time). No subscription fees or per-seat pricing.
Ready to Self-Host Mailu?
Download Server Compass and deploy Mailu to your VPS in under 3 minutes. No Docker expertise required.
Download Server Compass